


his hands

by blushingprince



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Master/Servant, Rain, Short One Shot, Unrequited Love, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 05:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8652211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushingprince/pseuds/blushingprince
Summary: a rainy day in nohr leading to some special time between a lord and his retainer





	

An image played in his mind over and over again. The rain coming down so hard it could scare away strong beasts. The darkness settled in the sky with murky clouds and sticky air. There was nowhere to be at a time like this but the castle. 

 

His eyes poured over the books he chose to read. Nothing in particular piqued his interest, an unusual time for the young prince. He was always so eager to pour into his literature. He stared into the black skies and not a thought wiped through his mind.

 

This was Nohr. This was his life. Where he was born, breed, and where he will die. He breathed a sigh, not knowing of relief or something else. Something of wanting? What could he ever want? He had servants waiting for him on hand and foot and all the wealth at his fingertips. His fingers ghosted over his most special book - not quite a book - carved with lacquered black marks. This was power to his disposal. With this, he could match his siblings in any fight. Be his own man. 

 

The book wasn’t warm or cold. He set it down and continued in his thoughts. 

 

He rose to the mirror. A young man’s face met him in the glass. Despite the hardships he’d met with since he was a babe, his skin was fresh and pliant, his eyes filled with youth. He hated it. He despised this youth and the facade of “Everything’s all right.” What kind of man was he, after all? He reached into the basin and washed his face over and over as if he could wash his life off himself.

 

But what could he be ungrateful for?

 

A door opened and closed quietly. Only the young prince could detect the slight entrance. His most loyal servant approached him, yet standing at a distance. Leo frowned. 

 

“Milord, I am here, as you asked,” Niles spoke.

 

Prince Leo finished washing his face, drying it, and moved to his bed. He was regal in every motion he committed but somehow embarrassed at this moment.

 

“It’s nothing of urgency. Perhaps you can stay here while the rain goes on.”

 

A bow of deep respect. “It would be my greatest pleasure.” The faint blooming of pink on his lord’s face was not forgotten. 

 

It was rather strange, in a way, that Niles was permitted to sit on his Prince’s bed. No other person was given the same privilege. It was just that, as they spent so much time together, Leo had noticed it would be uncomfortable if Niles were anywhere else. Niles had been rather baffled when given permission. 

 

_ “Your bed, Milord?” _

 

_ “Why not?” _

 

_ “Well…...I feel as it is improper……” _

 

_ “Is this about our social positions?” _

 

_ “Lord Leo, of course it is. How can you permit me to sit on a bed with you?” _

 

_ “Well, how about if I order you to?” _

 

_ A smirk. “Are you going to get your way with everything like that?” _

 

_ Leo laughed. “How else am I going to get you to listen to me?” _

 

Once again, Niles found himself in a position he didn’t quite understand, lounging next to his lord on the same bed. Many people - men, women, whoever they were, had taken him to bed, but for quite a different reason. No one had asked him to just sit there and talk. Quite truly, this was embarrassing. He could not get the grips of his lack of social status out of his mind.  _ You’re dirty You’re dirty  _ played in his mind relentlessly like a chant whenever he got too close to his lord like this. 

 

“Niles?”

 

“Yes, Lord Leo?”

 

“What are you thinking about?” Leo turned his head to face his retainer. The torrential outburst of the rain did not let up and they were surrounded by the loud pellets of rain hardening around their time together.

 

“Nothing…..in particular, milord.”

 

“Heresy! I’ve known you for quite some time, and there is always something on your mind.”

 

Niles smiled wryly. “Well well, milord. How kind of you to take to my habits.”

 

“Is that a bad thing?” Leo turned his head again.

 

“Not at all! But do you really want to get invested in a tramp like me?”

 

The prince sighed. He spread his hands out on the pure white sheets, taking a moment to admire the rain.    
“We’re both men, right? Might we not discuss a matter, such as the weather, or books, or anything else, like two men can?”

 

A wry smile broke out on Niles’ face. “You say I’m a man. But you’re mistaken, milord. I’m less than a man.”

 

As he took this information in, Leo frowned deeply. 

A long paused passed, Niles, feeling rather embarrassed. 

 

“I think not,” Leo declared. “You are every much a man as I am,”

 

“You’ve got eyes, well, an eye, a nose, two ears, a mouth, ten fingers.” He moved his hand to Niles’ and before the man could jerk away he grabbed the dark hand. 

 

“Our fingers line up, see? Your hand is warm. You’re alive.” They sat there in silence for a few moments. Niles, not knowing in God’s name how to react, being too shaken to know how, searching, searching. Leo, feeling like he just declared the sky was blue. 

 

_ But his hand was so warm _ .

 

Finally, Niles removed his hand. “Thank you, milord,” 

 

“I may not know how to treasure my life, but I am glad someone does, at the very least.”

 

Leo reached out for the hand again, unsure of what he was doing. 

 

“M-milord?”

 

Neither said a word as Leo slowly laced their fingers together. Dark skin against pale skin.  _ Niles was so warm. _

 

“I’ve never held anyone’s hand like this before,” Leo mumbled.

 

“I’m glad I…..could be part of that experience,” Niles breathed.

 

Neither of them moved for several minutes, fingers interlaced, as the heavy rain embraced them in a wet halo.

 

A knock on the door resounded and both of them jumped. A maid?

But there was nobody after that. 

 

They sat there, holding their own hands. The sun began to set in blushing pinks across the ever looming Nohr sky. Niles rose to light the lamps. “Shall I depart for now, milord?”

 

“No, you shall stay for a bit longer, Niles.”

 

“As you command, my lord.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while listening to an adele song it was a short one shot spur of the moment thing  
> I don't know if it's ooc  
> I am on twitter @_blushingprince


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